Categories
Planet

Millions earmarked to protect England’s rarest species

New funding has been allocated to conservation programmes protecting rare species.

Great! What’s the story?

The £14.5 million funding comes from Natural England, and is being entrusted to a number of wildlife conservation charities including the RSPB and the Wildlife Trust.

Local projects across England will receive funding so that they can work on the most important parts of their local areas – protecting everything from birds to butterflies.

Give me the specifics!

In Wiltshire, funding will go to restoring butterflies’ habitats – their numbers have been declining locally, and this boost could restore their populations. In Yorkshire, one of the priorities is using funds to protect the native white-clawed crayfish, which is suffering from diseases introduced by non-native crayfish.

It is a huge injection of cash, that will go towards incredible projects to protect our environment, restoring biodiversity across the country.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

The Woodland Trust. This is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, concerned with the creation, protection, and restoration of native woodland heritage. Support them here.

Rewilding Britain. They aim to tackle the climate emergency and extinction crisis, reconnect people with the natural world and help communities thrive. Find out more here.

Devon’s Wildlife Trust. DWT is the only local charity dedicated to protecting wildlife and wild places across Devon – on land and at sea. Learn more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Life on Land and Life Below Water.

Categories
Equality

Museum returns 174 artefacts to Indigenous Australians

Manchester Museum is returning a huge number of artefacts to Indigenous people.

Great! Tell me more.

Manchester Museum is returning 174 items to Indigenous Australian islanders. While the repatriation of stolen artefacts is, thankfully, becoming more common, it is often reserved for items of cultural significance, or that are sacred to religion.

Manchester Museum is making history by returning not only important items but those that are every day – including baskets, dolls, fishing spears and more. The items will be sent back to the Anindilyakwa community, who live off the northern coast of Australia.

What else?

It is hoped that this return will not only strengthen the ties that the Anidilyakwa community have to their past, and to teach younger generations about those who came before them, but encourage other museums to do the same.

“We believe this is the future of museums,” said Esme Ward, the director of Manchester Museum. “This is how we should be.”

Many artefacts, particularly those from indigenous communities, were taken under devastating circumstances – and it is great news that museums are beginning to make reparations for the atrocities of the past. This will surely lead to a better, more just and respectful future.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Windrush Foundation. This is a registered charity that designs and delivers heritage projects, programmes and initiatives which highlight African and Caribbean peoples’ contributions to the UK. Learn more here.

Race Equality Foundation. A national charity tackling racial equality in public services. Find out more here.

SARI. Stand Against Racism and Inequality is a charity that provides free and confidential support for anyone who is a victim of hate crime across Avon and Somerset. Support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Reduced Inequalities.

Categories
Planet

Carnivorous plants make a comeback

Carnivorous plants are being reintroduced to Lancashire, in an effort to boost conservation.

Carnivorous plants?!

Yes – but they’re a bit small to be chowing down on humans so no need to worry.

Carnivorous plants existed on the Lancashire peatlands of Winmarleigh Moss as recently as 100 years ago, and are now being reintroduced thanks to the incredible work of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust.

What’s the story?

Thanks to a cash injection of £30,000, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust have been able to introduce almost 18,000 of the insect-eating plants to the peatland. 

Despite being native inhabitants of the peatland, they eventually died out thanks to misuse of the area – but now they’re able to come back and thrive like they were always supposed to.

So next time you’re in the area, take a closer look at the ground – and you might just see the incredible carnivorous greater sundew.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

The Woodland Trust. This is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, concerned with the creation, protection, and restoration of native woodland heritage. Support them here.

Rewilding Britain. They aim to tackle the climate emergency and extinction crisis, reconnect people with the natural world and help communities thrive. Find out more here.

Devon’s Wildlife Trust. DWT is the only local charity dedicated to protecting wildlife and wild places across Devon – on land and at sea. Learn more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Life on Land.

Categories
Planet

Pandas to return to China

Pandas at Edinburgh Zoo will be travelling back to China in December 2023.

Goodbye, Pandas! Why the move?

Well, all pandas are – legally – property of China, where they originate from, and where they are seen as a national treasure. All pandas, no matter where they are, belong to the Chinese state – but sometimes they loan them to other countries and zoos.

Edinburgh Zoo was one such zoo, after passing rigorous tests, when they were able to have pandas Yang Guang and Tian Tian on loan from China.

Yang Guang and Tian Tian cost something like £750,000 a year to loan. Ouch!

So what’s the deal?

It was hoped that Yang Guang and Tian Tian would become a breeding pair – but romance wasn’t in the air for these two furry creatures. Like all great romances, Edinburgh Zoo know there’s no sense in forcing it, and so the two are returning to their native China – where one can only hope they will find their soulmates.

Alison Maclean, the carnivore team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, will be heading back to China with them to help them settle into their new homes, and set them up for their bright new future!

This isn’t the end of the road for Yang Guang and Tian Tian – they can still help their species to thrive (just maybe with someone else).

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Wildlife Justice Commission. This international foundation works to end animal trafficking around the globe. Find out more here.

Born Free. This is a wildlife conservation charity that’s passionate about wild animal welfare and Compassionate Conservation. Find out more here.

The Orangutan Project. This is a project run by two non-profits with one mission: to ensure the survival of all orangutan species in their natural habitat and promote the welfare of all orangutans. Support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Life on Land.

Categories
Culture

10 million people helped, says grants project

An impact project has helped 10 million people.

Great! Tell me more.

TRANSFORM, an impact acceleration project, has announced that they have helped 10 million lives so far, across Africa and Asia.

The project unites corporations, donors, investors and academics, helping them to back projects that encourage social change, and improve the lives of local people.

It is led by Unilever, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and EY leaders.

What’s next?

The next milestone is to help 15 million people – something TRANSFORM is well on the way to doing.

The project is combining grant funding, business insight, practical experience, resources and networks, encouraging start-ups and new enterprises and helping them to tackle global challenges.

“We’re thrilled to have reached such an important milestone at TRANSFORM.  Some of the best new ideas and groundbreaking solutions are coming from entrepreneurs and start-ups,” said Rebecca Marmot, Unilever’s Chief Sustainability Officer.

“By blending local innovation with the resources of large organisations, TRANSFORM is unlocking these opportunities, helping to scale workable solutions and drive progress. It’s also helping us to expand our own networks. We look forward to supporting more enterprises in the future and being part of this dynamic eco-system.”

To learn more about TRANSFORM and how they’re changing millions of lives for the better, you can visit their website.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Working Chance. This is a charity that helps women offenders make the transition into employment, helping them find paid work and offering voluntary placements. Find out more.

National AIDs Trust. This charity works to stop HIV from standing in the way of health, dignity and equality, and to end new HIV transmissions. Learn more here.

Save The Children UK. Save the Children is a UK charity for children that works in over 100 countries to make sure children are fed, learning and treated fairly. Learn more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Partnership for the Goals.

Categories
Planet

This Formula E racing car is built entirely from scrap electronics

A design studio has built a Formula E racing car entirely from electronic waste.

Amazing! What’s the aim?

This extraordinary car aims to raise awareness of the importance of tackling e-waste. 

The design studio, Lazerian, built it using all kinds of materials that would otherwise have gone to landfill, donated by pupils from Manchester schools. 

It repurposes smartphones, laptops, tablets and even a Nintendo Wii controller which is used as the driving console.

“The message I want to send to people is to take some more thought and consideration over the things that we use on a day to day basis to highlight the problem that we’re in,” said its designer, Liam Hopkins. “We can recycle, reuse and make other things from them rather than just throw them away.”

The project, called Recover E (get it?), was commissioned by the British team, Envision Racing. The vehicle recreates their Gen3 vehicle, which the team describes as “the fastest, lightest, most powerful, and most efficient electric racing machines ever built.”

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

The Climate Coalition. This is the UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action against climate change. Find out more and support them here.

Climate Reframe.  Climate Reframe is committed to supporting the climate and environment movement in its transformation towards greater justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI). Find out more.

Trees For Cities. They are working to plant more trees within large metropolitan areas, for the betterment of people and planet. Support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Climate Action.

Categories
Planet

Young people involved in climate activism, listen up

There’s up to £40,000 in funding available for you.

Tell me more!

As the charitable arm of The Energy Saving Trust, The Energy Saving Trust Foundation supports charities working on youth-led climate projects. With the help of Airbnb, they are relaunching their Youth Climate Fund for another year.

Organisations that are helping to facilitate youth-led climate action initiatives are able to apply for a grant of up to £40,000, which will be given out over the course of two years.

Why are they doing this?

“We want young people to feel more confident about taking action to address the climate emergency and making their voices heard,” said Jim Metcalfe, chair of the Energy Saving Trust Foundation’s board of trustees. “We encourage organisations to think creatively and embrace new approaches to make climate change relevant, accessible, and engaging to young minds.” 

Apply for the grant and view the funding criteria here.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

The Climate Coalition. This is the UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action against climate change. Find out more and support them here.

Climate Reframe.  Climate Reframe is committed to supporting the climate and environment movement in its transformation towards greater justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI). Find out more.

Trees For Cities. They are working to plant more trees within large metropolitan areas, for the betterment of people and planet. Support them here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Climate Action.

Categories
Planet

Pufflings make a comeback

Pufflings are staging a comeback.

What?! Tell me more.

Pufflings – AKA baby puffins – are on the rebound this year, after a catastrophic 2021 breeding season left puffins in Maine thin on the ground.

Now, thankfully, the puffins are looking to be thriving thanks to a certain kind of fish – the sand lace – which is in abundance this year, and a tasty treat for little pufflings.

What else?

Fifty years ago the Audubon Society, an American non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of birds, helped to bring back puffins from just a few breeding pairs.

The birds now stand happily at around the 3,000 mark, and it looks like they’re going to have a great year.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Four Paws UK. This charity is an animal welfare organisation, working globally to help animals in need. Learn more here.

Wildlife Justice Commission. This international foundation works to end animal trafficking around the globe. Find out more here.

Born Free. This is a wildlife conservation charity that’s passionate about wild animal welfare and Compassionate Conservation. Find out more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Life on Land.

Categories
Planet

2,000 rhinos to be released in Africa

A non-profit will be releasing 2,000 white rhinos from captivity in Africa.

Incredible! What’s the story?

African Parks is a conservation NGO that manages 22 protected areas in partnership with 12 governments across Africa. 

They recently purchased a rhino breeding farm, which currently holds 2,000 southern white rhinos in captivity. 

What’s happening now?

The plan is to reintroduce those rhinos to the wild over the course of 10 years – one of the biggest project of this kind ever undertaken in Africa. The plan is not only to free the rhinos, but also to shield them from poaching, protecting the species long term.

To learn more about the project, you can visit the African Parks website.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Four Paws UK. This charity is an animal welfare organisation, working globally to help animals in need. Learn more here.

Wildlife Justice Commission. This international foundation works to end animal trafficking around the globe. Find out more here.

Born Free. This is a wildlife conservation charity that’s passionate about wild animal welfare and Compassionate Conservation. Find out more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Life on Land.

Categories
Culture

Underwater photographer donates profits to charity

‘Lady Liberty’ underwater photographer raises money for charity.

Amazing! Tell me more.

Christy Lee Rogers is a Sony World Open Photography Award Winner, and has just released a new, limited edition piece titled ‘Lady Liberty’.

The image is taken from one of her first underwater photography shoots, kept private for over 10 years. It is finally being released this Labor Day, with $200 from each sale going to Save the Children.

That’s great!

“The children are our future, and we need to safeguard them and their freedoms and rights to be anything they want to be,” said Christy of her decision to donate. “They should live in a safe world and be nurtured and protected from harm. All people, no matter what race or creed are born free and with human rights. This image stands for freedom in all forms.”

You can see Christy Lee Rogers’ “Lady Liberty” for sale by following this link.

Charity check-in 

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.

Create. Create is the UK’s leading charity empowering lives, reducing isolation and enhancing wellbeing through the creative arts. Support them here.

Save The Children UK. Save the Children is a UK charity for children that works in over 100 countries to make sure children are fed, learning and treated fairly. Learn more here.

Barnardo’s. This is a children’s charity that protects and supports children and young people in the UK who need them. Find out more here.

This article aligns with the UN SDG Partnerships for the Goals.